Filtration devices and systems are employed in a wide range of applications for filtering contaminants from various fluids. For example, it is known to pass air or similar gases through filter assemblies that enclose filtration media such as filter paper to remove dust and other contaminants. The filtration media is typically enclosed within a housing that is a permanent part of a larger overall process system (e.g. an engine) that utilizes the filtered fluids. Desirably, to prevent clogging of the filter, the filter assembly is constructed to facilitate the removal and replacement of the filtration media from the permanent housing. For this reason, the filtration media is typically configured into removable filter elements, also referred to herein as filter cartridges.
One commonly used filter media in construction of filter elements is fluted filter media. Fluted filter media is typically formed by winding a fluted sheet and a face sheet about an axis to form a plurality of contiguous adjacent flutes. In one common form of such fluted filter media, alternating ends of adjacent flutes are blocked to cause fluid entering one open end of “inlet” flutes to flow through the porous filter media into adjacent “outlet” flutes prior to exiting the filter media at an opposite end of the flutes.
To enable removal of a filter element from the filter housing (not shown), typically, a clearance gap is provided between the two components. To cause process fluids to pass through the filtration media rather than short circuit around the filter element, the filter element is often provided with a seal that abuts against the filter housing. Prior such filter elements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,610,117 (Gieseke), U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0091061 (Brown), U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0090434 (Brown, et al.), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/164,987 (Merritt, et al.) herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.
The present invention pertains to improvements in frames, seal support structures and how they are attached to a filter, such as a fluted filter.